For most of history, baskets were an everyday necessity. Long before plastic shopping bags or reusable totes existed...
ARTSCAPE
For most of history, baskets were an everyday necessity. Long before plastic shopping bags or reusable totes existed, people relied on them for almost everything. Small baskets carried fruit and vegetables home from the market, decorative ones stored sewing supplies, and larger versions could even be worn like backpacks.
For Cardiff-based artist Lewis Prosser, however, baskets are much more than practical objects. Describing himself as an “absurdist basketmaker”, he uses traditional weaving techniques to create striking sculptures and wearable costumes inspired by folklore, local traditions and cultural heritage.
Many of his creations draw on ancient customs that are still celebrated today. In Wales, for example, the centuries-old Mari Lwyd tradition sees people dressed in colourful ribbons leading a haunting horse-skull figure through the streets during Christmas.
Another long-standing celebration, the Hunting of the Earl of Rone, takes place each year in Combe Martin, Devon, and is believed to have roots in pre-Christian Britain.
Prosser makes his costumes using basket-weaving methods from Wales and south-west England. He believes basketry is more than just a craft; it is a valuable human skill that deserves to be preserved. Today, his woven costumes are part of the Folk Preservation Society’s collection in Devon and are still brought out for performances from time to time.
The artist is also leading a collaborative project called The Baskets Between Carnival and Lent. Inspired by Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s famous 1559 painting The Fight Between Carnival and Lent, the project involves ten basketmakers from across Europe recreating all 24 woven objects featured in the artwork, from birdcages and beehives to window shutters. The completed collection will be exhibited at Oriel Myrddin Gallery in Wales in spring 2027.
Prosser is also preparing a new performance for the Burgos Biennial 2026 in Spain. One of its highlights will be an imaginative new sport called Hornball, which combines harvest rituals, competitive ball games and wearable basket sculptures, proving that an ancient craft can still inspire bold new ideas today.
